"We put out a few resumes and didn't have any feedback. I actually didn't think it was such a big deal," he said.

"Just come up with the idea and thought it was a bit of a laugh and see what would happen and it's only a couple of grands worth of beer. I think it's a worthy investment in your son's future."

His son is Nick McVeigh, who had been living with his mother in Denmark until five months ago.

"I was just trying to get started with a trade but the Danish economy is a bit different at the moment so I gave Australia a shot," he said.

So far, the McVeighs have not had much luck.

"We've been around and we haven't found anything so far. I've showed up at stores in person and still nothing. Sent out resumes to more than 100 places at least, all over Queensland," Nick said.

Paul McVeigh is a fitter and turner in the mines. He says it is not as easy to find work, despite the resources boom.

"It's a very competitive industry of course. It depends on where you live and if you're willing to travel and it's a different life in the mines," he said.

"It is a lot harder than you think."

Not thirsty?

The offer of free beer has not exactly impressed one local business.

Christine Bower is the office manager at A Plus Electrical and Air conditioning in Mackay. She says Paul McVeigh walked into her office with the offer recently.

"And I just threw that resume straight in the bin because I feel as though his son should have come in with his dad and I don't believe that the dad should have to do all the running around to get his son a job," she said.

But Paul says his son has been doing plenty of job hunting

"We both ran around handing out leaflets the other day," he said.

The campaign is reminiscent of the jobless Irish graduate who last year spent his life savings on a billboard asking prospective employers to "save him from emigration".

And just like Ireland, there has been a lot of interest in the offer of free beer.

Paul says there has been a lot of interest, but he just hopes it turns into a job.